When God miraculously destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians ("And it came to pass,¹ that at midnightªª the LORDª smoteª° all¹ the firstbornª in the landª of Egypt,ª from the firstbornª¹ of Pharaohª that satª° on¹ his throneª unto¹ the firstbornª of the captiveª that¹ [was] in the dungeon;ªª and all¹ the firstbornª of cattle.ª" {Exd 12:29}), he spared those of the Israelites; and, in commemoration of that event, he was pleased to appoint that all the first-born males "should be set apart unto himself" ("That thou shalt set apartª° unto the LORDª all¹ that openethª the matrix,ª and every¹ firstlingª that comethª of a beastª which¹ thou hast;¹ the malesª [shall be] the LORD'S.ª ... And it shall be¹ for a tokenª upon¹ thine hand,ª and for frontletsª between¹ thine eyes:ª for¹ by strengthª of handª the LORDª brought us forthª° out of Egypt.ª¹" {Exd 13:12-16}). God is here pleased to relinquish this claim, and to appoint the whole tribe of Levi to attend his immediate service in their stead. "And thou shalt takeª°¹ the Levitesª for me (I¹ [am] the LORD)ª instead of¹ all¹ the firstbornª among the childrenª of Israel;ª and the cattleª of the Levitesª instead of¹ all¹ the firstlingsª among the cattleª of the childrenª of Israel.ª" {Num 3:41} + "Takeª°¹ the Levitesª instead of¹ all¹ the firstbornª among the childrenª of Israel,ª and the cattleª of the Levitesª instead of¹ their cattle;ª and the Levitesª shall be¹ mine: I¹ [am] the LORD.ª" {Num 3:45} + "For¹ they¹ [are] wholly givenª° unto me from amongª¹ the childrenª of Israel;ª instead of¹ such as openª every¹ womb,ª [even instead of] the firstbornª of all¹ the childrenª¹ of Israel,ª have I takenª° them unto me." {Num 8:16} + "And I have takenª°¹ the Levitesª for¹ all¹ the firstbornª of the childrenª of Israel.ª" {Num 8:18} + "And I,¹ behold,¹ I have takenª°¹ your brethrenª the Levitesª from amongª¹ the childrenª of Israel:ª to you [they are] givenª° [as] a giftª for the LORD,ª to doª°¹ the serviceª of the tabernacleª of the congregation.ª" {Num 18:6}